1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to interactive data processing systems, and more particularly to a hypertext control method and apparatus for manipulation of help information displayed in an interactive data processing system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Computers often include online interactive learning functions to facilitate ease of learning for users of one or many computer programs or applications. Many computer systems have adopted a hypertext network or a help/dialog panel approach which gives the user display screens of help/dialog information for specific applications selected by the user. The hypertext network provides a non-sequential approach for online presentation of help information or text to describe a user selected term or concept. A choice of several options of information or text associated with particular hypertext reference phrases is provided to the user. Typically the user selects a particular hypertext screen to be displayed by selecting a hypertext reference phrase from a currently displayed hypertext screen. Then the next hypertext screen displays text associated with the selected hypertext reference phrase and additional reference phrases from which a next selection can be made.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,964,077 discloses a technique for automatically adjusting help information displayed in an online interactive data entry data processing system. The disclosed system tracks the number of times a user has invoked a help/dialog function, compares that number with a threshold value and then displays less help/dialog information to the user. The disclosed system builds a data base of help/dialogs which are uniquely addressed by the functional area and skill level of the individual user.
A problem with the conventional hypertext arrangement results from user errors in interactively entering information. For non-programmable terminals, hypertext reference phrases are defined as data entry fields. The user presses the TAB key to move the cursor to a particular displayed reference phrase and then presses the ENTER key to display the hypertext associated with the selected reference phrase. Because the hypertext reference phrase is a data entry field, it is possible for the user to modify the hypertext reference phrase by keying over the hypertext reference phrase. Also the hypertext reference phrase can be inadvertently erased completely by the user pressing a field EXIT key. As a result of such user entry errors, the hypertext network may be difficult or impossible to use.
A difficulty for the user with the conventional hypertext arrangement is navigating the hypertext network. The user may waste time by returning to previously accessed screens, instead of efficiently moving to desired information. After the user selects one or more hypertext screens, the user can lose a sense of current position or context within the hypertext network. This difficulty is sometimes called xe2x80x9clost in hyperspace.xe2x80x9d The lost in hyperspace effect can occur because of the size of the hypertext network, because multiple paths exist to the same hypertext screen and because paths exist which are loops.
xe2x80x9cThrough Hypertextxe2x80x9d by Jakob Nielsen, Communication of the ACM, March 1990, Volume 33, Number 3; pages 297-310, describes a hypertext system that includes a timestamp feature for user movements between screens, so that the system displays the time which has passed since that user""s previous visit to that location. Also described for use in a graphical or programmable work station are checkmarks provided and overview diagrams for indicating where the user has been and provided with hypertext anchors which the user has actually activated. The checkmarks are maintained and allowed to change color-intensity or gradually decay over time. While providing improved navigational features for programmable work stations, the disclosed arrangements do not work for non-programmable displays of host dependent terminals. Other disadvantages of the disclosed arrangements are that the checkmarks from prior sessions are displayed when a hypertext session is initiated; and that the checkmarks are not displayed with many hypertext screens.
Important objects of the present invention are to provide a hypertext control method and apparatus for dynamically displaying help information in an interactive data processing system overcoming disadvantages of hypertext networks and help/dialog arrangements used in the past; to provide a hypertext control method and apparatus in which a hypertext marker field and method for dynamically displaying a hypertext marker enables the user to effectively and efficiently access user selected help information; and to provide an improved user interface and hypertext network to facilitate ease of learning and to avoid data entry errors.
In brief, the objects and advantages of the present invention are achieved by a hypertext network for use in an interactive data processing system including a processor device, a memory, a user input device and a display. The hypertext network comprises a plurality of user selectable stored information modules. Each module includes a predefined descriptive header and at least some modules include one link reference phrase to another one of the plurality of user selectable modules. Responsive to a user selection entry, the associated user selectable module is displayed and a marker character is stored with each link reference phrase to the selected displayed module.
In accordance with features of the invention, the marker character is stored in an input field that is accessed by a user to select a particular link reference phrase and the reference phrase text is not defined as a user input field, so that the user cannot accidentally change the reference phrase. The stored marker characters are erased or set to a blank character when the hypertext network is exited so that all marker character input fields are blank each time access to the hypertext network is initiated.